Sirach 22

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Sirach 22

1A slothful man is compared to a filthy stone, and every one will hiss him out to his disgrace.Λίθῳ ἠρδαλωμένῳ συνεβλήθη ὀκνηρὸς, καὶ πᾶς ἐκσυριεῖ ἐπὶ τῇ ἀτιμίᾳ αὐτοῦ.

2A slothful man is compared to the filth of a dunghill: every man that takes it up will shake his hand.Βολβίτῳ κοπρίων συνεβλήθη ὀκνηρὸς, πᾶς ὁ ἀναιρούμενος αὐτὸν ἐκτινάξει χεῖρα.

3An evil-nurtured man is the dishonor of his father that became the father of him: and a foolish daughter is born to his loss.Αἰσχύνη πατρὸς ἐν γεννήσει ἀπαιδεύτου, θυγάτηρ δὲ ἐπʼ ἐλαττώσει γίνεται.

4A wise daughter shall bring an inheritance to her husband: but she that lives dishonestly is her father's heaviness.Θυγάτηρ φρονίμη κληρονομήσει ἄνδρα αὐτῆς, καὶ ἡ καταισχύνουσα, εἰς λύπην γεννήσαντος.

5She that is bold dishonors both her father and her husband, but they both shall despise her.Πατέρα καὶ ἄνδρα καταισχύνει ἡ θρασεῖα, καὶ ὑπὸ ἀμφοτέρων ἀμιμασθήσεται.

6A tale out of season is as musick in mourning: but stripes and correction of wisdom are never out of time.Μουσικὰ ἐν πένθει ἄκαιρος διήγησις, μάστιγες καὶ παιδεία ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ σοφίας.

7Whoso teaches a fool is as one that glues a potsherd together, and as he that wakes one from a sound sleep.

8He that tells a tale to a fool speaks to one in a slumber: when he has told his tale, he will say, What is the matter?

9If children live honestly, and have wherewithal, they shall cover the baseness of their parents.Συγκολλῶν ὄστρακον ὁ διδάσκων μωρὸν, ἐξεγείρων καθεύδοντα ἐκ βαθέως ὕπνου.

10But children, being haughty, through disdain and lack of nurture do stain the nobility of their kindred.Διηγούμενος νυστάζοντι ὁ διηγούμενος μωρῷ, καὶ ἐπὶ συντελείᾳ ἐρεῖ, τί ἐστιν;

11Weep for the dead, for he has lost the light: and weep for the fool, for he lacks understanding: make little weeping for the dead, for he is at rest: but the life of the fool is worse than death.Ἐπὶ νεκρῷ κλαῦσον, ἐξέλιπε γὰρ φῶς· καὶ ἐπὶ μωρῷ κλαῦσον, ἐξέλιπε γὰρ σύνεσις· ἥδιον κλαῦσον ἐπὶ νεκρῷ, ὅτι ἀνεπαύσατο, τοῦ δὲ μωροῦ ὑπὲρ θάνατον ἡ ζωὴ πονηρά.

12Seven days do men mourn for him that is dead; but for a fool and an ungodly man all the days of his life.Πένθος νεκροῦ ἑπτὰ ἡμέραι, μωροῦ δὲ καὶ ἀσεβοῦς πᾶσαι αἱ ἡμέραι τῆς ζωῆς αὐτοῦ.

13Talk not much with a fool, and go not to him that has no understanding: beware of him, lest you have trouble, and you shall never be defiled with his fooleries: depart from him, and you shall find rest, and never be disquieted with madness.Μετὰ ἄφρονος μὴ πληθύνῃς λόγον, καὶ πρὸς ἀσύνετον μὴ πορεύου· φύλαξον ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ ἵνα μὴ κόπον ἔχῃς, καὶ οὐ μὴ μολυνθῇς ἐν τῷ ἐντιναγμῷ αὐτοῦ· ἔκκλινον ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ καὶ εὑρήσεις ἀνάπαυσιν, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀκηδιάσῃς ἐν τῇ ἀπονοίᾳ αὐτοῦ.

14What is heavier than lead? and what is the name thereof, but a fool?Ὑπὲρ μόλυβδον τί βαρυνθήσεται; καὶ τί αὐτῷ ὄνομα, ἀλλʼ ἢ μωρός;

15Sand, and salt, and a mass of iron, is easier to bear, than a man without understanding.Ἄμμον καὶ ἅλα καὶ βῶλον σιδήρου εὔκοπον ὑπενεγκεῖν, ἢ ἄνθρωπον ἀσύνετον.

16As timber girded and bound together in a building can’t be loosed with shaking: so the heart that is established by advised counsel shall fear at no time.Ἱμάντωσις ξυλίνη ἐνδεδεμένη εἰς οἰκοδομὴν ἐν συσσεισμῷ οὐ διαλυθήσεται, οὕτως καρδία ἐστηριγμένη ἐπὶ διανοήματος βουλῆς ἐν καιρῷ οὐ δειλιάσει.

17A heart settled upon a thought of understanding is as a fair plaistering on the wall of a gallery.Καρδία ἡδρασμένη ἐπὶ διανοίας συνέσεως, ὡς κόσμος ψαμμωτὸς τοίχου ξυστοῦ.

18Pales set on an high place will never stand against the wind: so a fearful heart in the imagination of a fool can’t stand against any fear.Χάρακες ἐπὶ μετεώρου κείμενοι κατέναντι ἀνέμου οὐ μὴ ὑπομείνωσιν, οὕτως καρδία δειλὴ ἐπὶ διανοήματος μωροῦ κατέναντι παντὸς φόβου οὐ μὴ ὑπομείνῃ.

19He that pricks the eye will make tears to fall: and he that pricks the heart makes it to show her knowledge.Ὁ νύσσων ὀφθαλμὸν κατάξει δάκρυα, καὶ ὁ νύσσων καρδίαν ἐκφαίνει αἴσθησιν.

20Whoso casts a stone at the birds frays them away: and he that upbraids his friend breaks friendship.Βάλλων λίθον ἐπὶ πετεινὰ ἀποσοβεῖ αὐτὰ, καὶ ὁ ὀνειδίζων φίλον διαλύσει φιλίαν.

21Though you drew a sword at your friend, yet despair not: for there may be a returning to favor.Ἐπὶ φίλον ἐὰν σπάσῃς ῥομφαίαν, μὴ ἀπελπίσῃς, ἔστι γὰρ ἐπάνοδος.

22If you have opened your mouth against your friend, fear not; for there may be a reconciliation: except for upbraiding, or pride, or disclosing of secrets, or a treacherous wound: for for these things every friend will depart.Ἐπὶ φίλον ἐὰν ἀνοίξῃς στόμα, μὴ εὐλαβηθῇς, ἔστι γὰρ διαλλαγή· πλὴν ὀνειδισμοῦ, καὶ ὑπερηφανίας, καὶ μυστηρίου ἀποκαλύψεως, καὶ πληγῆς δολίας, ἐν τούτοις ἀποφεύξεται πᾶς φίλος.

23Be faithful to your neighbor in his poverty, that you may rejoice in his prosperity: abide stedfast to him in the time of his trouble, that you may be heir with him in his heritage: for a mean estate is not always to be contemned: nor the rich that is foolish to be had in admiration.Πίστιν κτῆσαι ἐν πτωχείᾳ μετὰ τοῦ πλησίον, ἵνα ἐν τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς αὐτοῦ ὁμοῦ πλησθῇς· ἐν καιρῷ θλίψεως διάμενε αὐτῷ, ἵνα ἐν τῇ κληρονομίᾳ αὐτοῦ συνκληρονομήσῃς.

24As the vapor and smoke of a furnace goes before the fire; so reviling before blood.Πρὸ πυρὸς ἀτμὶς καμίνου καὶ καπνὸς, οὕτως πρὸ αἱμάτων λοιδορίαι.

25I will not be ashamed to defend a friend; neither will I hide myself from him.Φίλον σκεπάσαι οὐκ αἰσχυνθήσομαι, καὶ ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ οὐ μὴ κρυβῶ,

26And if any evil happen to me by him, every one that hears it will beware of him.καὶ εἰ κακά μοι συμβῇ διʼ αὐτόν, πᾶς ὁ ἀκούων φυλάξεται ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ.

27Who shall set a watch before my mouth, and a seal of wisdom upon my lips, that I fall not suddenly by them, and that my tongue destroy me not?Τίς δώσει μοι ἐπὶ στόμα μου φυλακὴν, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν χειλέων μου σφραγίδα πανοῦργον, ἵνα μὴ πέσω ἀπʼ αὐτῆς, καὶ ἡ γλῶσσά μου ἀπολέσῃ με;